78 The Course, the Camp, the Chase 



with the posts. After winning seven races in 1874 for his 

 then owner, Mr. Matthew Dawson, he passed into Mr. Yyner's 

 hands, and won four races for him in 1875, and six races 

 in 1876, and yet Mr. C. Vyner was wont to remark that 

 he was more out of pocket by him than by any other 

 horse that he ever had, for he had always won when there 

 was no money on him, and invariably lost when he was 

 heavily backed. Unfortunately he had but a short career 

 at the stud, as a very fatal epidemic made its appearance 

 in Yorkshire, to which both " Thunder " and that grand 

 mare " Apology " succumbed. The dam of the latter, 

 " Mandragora " by " Eataplan," out of " Manganese " by 

 " Birdcatcher," looked for all the world like a rough shoot- 

 ing pony when seen in her winter dress, being of very low 

 stature, but with an immense barrel. There was nothing 

 whatever about her to indicate that she should have pro- 

 duced such " fliers " as " Napsbury," " Apology," " Agility," 

 and " The Miner," the latter being the only horse that 

 ever had the distinction of beating " Blair Athol." Their 

 first owner's dignified reply to his bishop's querulous com- 

 plaint, when he won the St. Leger with " Apology," earned 

 the approbation of all sensible persons. No remonstrance 

 was made as to his continuing to race the old family 

 breed of horses, which he unexpectedly inherited, for some 

 years, but when at length he won the great Doncaster 

 race, his diocesan found fault apparently with his winning, 

 and not with his racing. The old man took him at his 

 word, and showed that at least he was not ashamed of 

 what he had done, by resigning the family living and 

 retaining the family horses. At his death, which occurred 

 at a ripe old age, Mr. Clare Vyner bought the two mares, 

 " Agility " and " Apology," and from the former he bred 



